Iraq: senior UN official condemns Hilla bombing, deplores continuing loss of life

Special Representative Ján Kubiš. Photo: UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

6 March 2016 – The most senior Unite Nations official in Iraq has strongly condemned the terrorist bombing near the city of Hilla in the Governorate of Babylon in the south of the country, which today caused scores of casualties, including women and children.

“Once again the terrorists strike with untold savagery, leaving a trail of death and destruction,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ján Kubiš, in a press release.

“This latest atrocity committed by a suicide attacker driving a vehicle packed with explosives targeted a busy roadblock near Hilla as cars queued for security checks. It was clearly intended to exact maximum casualties among civilians,” he added.

Mr. Kubiš further stressed that he deeply deplores the continuing loss of life and property in yet another terrorist bombing and calls on Iraqis not to be cowed by the terrorists' murderous campaign.

“This horrifying attack adds to the terrorists' long record of brutality that we and all Iraqis of different affiliations strongly condemn and totally reject,” he underlined.

The UN envoy also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the Government and people of Iraq, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

Meanwhile, he reiterated his appeal to Iraqis not to fall into the trap of the terrorists who seek to undermine the country's unity and fuel sectarian strife.

In this connection, he applauded the restraint shown, for example, by the relatives of the victims and their communities of similar terrorist outrage on 29 February at a funeral ceremony in Muqdadiya. He called on the Government of Iraq to make sure that the perpetrators of these crimes and those behind them are swiftly brought to justice.

“Sooner or later justice avails those terrorists committing crimes against civilians, crimes against humanity”, Mr. Kubiš declared.

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